Bimetallic PtSn/C catalysts promoted by ceria: Application in the nonoxidative dehydrogenation of isobutane

A series of bimetallic platinum–tin catalysts supported on CeO2/C were prepared and tested in the nonoxidative catalytic dehydrogenation of isobutane. Pt–Sn/CeO2/C catalysts with varying Sn content (Sn/Pt = 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75) were prepared using a co-impregnation method and chlorinated metal precursors. They were characterized by XPS and by CO and ethylene adsorption microcalorimetry at room temperature after in situ reduction treatments. It was found that the presence of cerium in bimetallic catalysts inhibited reduction of tin species, whereas tin facilitated reduction of cerium(IV) to cerium(III). Reduction at 773 K caused a strong decrease in CO saturation coverage for all catalysts studied. For the bimetallic catalysts, a strong interaction between tin and platinum produced significant changes in the initial heat of CO adsorption. The presence of cerium caused a strong decrease in the heat of ethylene adsorption on platinum in catalysts reduced at high temperature. The monometallic Pt catalyst undergoes a fast deactivation with time on stream in the isobutane dehydrogenation reaction. The addition of tin strongly suppresses the deactivation process. It was found that cerium-containing catalysts showed higher isobutene yields compared with their corresponding cerium-free counterparts. The bimetallic catalyst with Sn/Pt = 0.5 showed the best isobutene yield, and it was studied further. This optimized catalyst demonstrated good deactivation behaviour (comparable with the best catalysts reported in the literature). Furthermore, oxidation treatment at a mild temperature (573 K) allowed recovery of nearly all of its catalytic properties.